Eight fishermen arrive in Hodeidah after months of kidnapping and torturing in Eritrean prisons

Published on September 10, 2023
Ansarollah website – Hodeidah

Today, Sunday, eight fishermen returned to the city of Hodeidah after months of kidnapping and torturing in the prisons of the Eritrean authorities.

During their reception at the fish landing port, the released fishermen explained that the Eritrean Navy had kidnapped them while they were fishing in Yemeni territorial waters, and took them to prisons on its islands, where there are many Yemeni fishermen.

The fishermen reported that they were subjected to torture and hard labor under starvation during the period of their kidnapping and imprisonment, pointing out that they were released along with 65 fishermen who returned to Al-Khawkha District.

The General Authority for Fisheries in the Red Sea condemned the repeated crimes of violations against fishermen searching for a living in light of the continued international silence and the failure to take a responsible stance towards the persistence of the Eritrean authorities against Yemeni fishermen.

Director General of Ports and Centers at the Authority, Aziz Atini, explained that only ten percent of fishermen are released from Eritrea’s prisons, while dozens are still under torture.

He stressed that the Eritrean practices against Yemeni fishermen are a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and a clear violation of all international conventions and norms.